He's on dialysis, he needs a transplant...

2023-09-09 22:43:00, Shëndeti Ilir Allkja

Since I was a child, I often heard this phrase, and I was convinced that old people suffer from kidneys.

But I lost this belief while working as a family doctor, in the first years of my experience I treated a young girl, only 24 years old, who performed dialysis twice a week.

He suffered from chronic kidney failure, and unfortunately this disease took him too soon.

But what is their function and why do the kidneys get sick?

Most of us are each born with two kidneys, but there are those who are born with more than two, while there are people who are born with only one kidney.

The function of the kidneys is to filter the blood. They clean the blood, remove toxins and excess water. They also do a number of other things including balancing electrolytes, helping us not to be anemic and playing a key role in bone health.

Kidney function

I invite you to consider an air conditioner filter that works without interruption.

Over time it will fill up with dirt, which causes it to become blocked. You'll need to clean it or get a new filter, right?

Detoxify it in a sense, when you think of a typical filter.

Kidneys are much more complex than that, they are not just a filter, but they are made up of blood vessels, nerves, etc.

So you don't detoxify or simply unblock a kidney like you would a typical filter.

Involuntarily and sometimes intentionally I look at a lot of different information on the Internet, which promises to detoxify or give you a quick cleanse of your kidneys in one way or another.

I see that many of them simplify the process a lot and some of them are actually fake information, just commercial, they want to get you some money and that's it...

Kidney health

Although most people are born with two kidneys, in fact you only need one functioning kidney to live over 100 years, as long as it is healthy.

That is why, if you are a healthy person, you can donate a kidney and the kidney you have works wonderfully and does the work of two kidneys.

There are people who are born with certain diseases like lupus, or develop diabetes at a young age. And there are some things that can cause kidney disease like FSGS, IgA nephropathy, a number of things, that are not your fault.

But many of the things that cause kidney disease are actually preventable or at least manageable.

Causes of kidney failure

The main causes of kidney failure are:

- diabetes

- high blood pressure

- dehydration

- various poisons

- some types of medications

Fortunately, all of these factors are preventable and manageable.

Very important to keep your kidneys normal is to have a healthy diet.

So the foods we eat can help us have better filtering kidneys. It's the good lifestyle that helps your kidneys filter better.

Kidney damage is often irreversible, so people who don't take care of their kidneys can face significant health risks that result in dialysis or even a kidney transplant.

It will be necessary to avoid the usual pleasures in life (actually harmful), to escape from the sufferings of dialysis.

What habits and foods destroy the kidneys?

1. Salt

Sodium overload leads to high blood pressure, which overloads your kidneys.

Other common high-sodium foods that may be hiding in your fridge are:

- Canned soups

- Processed meats such as salami, ham, meatballs, sausages

- Frozen pizzas

- Chips, crackers, pretzels.

- Condiments like ketchup, BBQ sauce, soy sauce

- Salad dressings

- Pickled foods such as cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, beets, etc

- Canned vegetables

2. Sweets

Sugar is found in most foods, natural and processed. Fruits are a source of natural sugar, which provides many vitamins and minerals that our body needs. However, it is foods with added sugars that tend to be low on the nutritional value scale. You may be surprised, but condiments, breads and other snacks also contain added sugar.

3. Industrial drinks.

It has been proven that drinking two or more industrial carbonated or non-alcoholic beverages, diet or regular, can increase the risk of chronic kidney disease. Carbonated and energy drinks have been linked to kidney stone formation.

4. Meat and dairy products

Diets high in animal protein from meat and dairy products can cause kidney damage because they can be too difficult to metabolize. This places a heavy burden on the kidneys, making it difficult for them to eliminate waste products. A high-protein diet can cause or worsen existing kidney problems. In addition, studies show many health benefits from switching from an animal-based diet to a plant-based one. Colorful plant foods are nutritional powerhouses and can prevent chronic kidney disease.

5. Caffeine

Caffeine found in coffee, tea, soda and snacks can also put a strain on your kidneys. Caffeine is a stimulant, which can cause increased blood circulation, blood pressure and stress on the kidneys. Excessive caffeine intake has also been linked to kidney stones.

Suspect you have problems with your kidneys?

Do a check-up, better empty than full!